FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 99 



of circumstances, and checked many times by the actual cut. 

 More Androscoggin timberland has been bought and sold on 

 his judgment than on that of any other man. Mr. Pike's 

 figures, therefore, must be considered as the best obtainable, 

 and as trustworthy within narrow limits. They will be found 

 in their proper place in this report. 



Certain things had to bo done, however, to make any such 

 survey of the Androscoggin as had already been carried out 

 on the Kennebec. One thing necessary was to map the burnt 

 lands, and so with the water areas to throw out from the total 

 acreage the proportion that is not producing spruce. It was 

 next necessary to go over enough of the cut-over country to 

 see in what shape the different companies leave their land, 

 how badly it blows down and what shape it is left in to grow. 

 The rate of growth of cut-over land had next to be studied, 

 for which purpose the old lake cuttings of twenty years or 

 more ago furnished the best opportunity. Lastly it was 

 necessary to go to the virgin timberland for the determination 

 of some facts which have a most important bearing on the 

 manner of its treatment. These were the purposes which 

 directed my travel and observation. 



Starting in at Berlin, N. H., and loading up Gi-^f ton & 

 with local information from my friend, Mr. Pike, ^"®^' 

 the first start into the woods was into the neighborinir lumber 

 operation on Riley, Grafton and Success. A logging rail- 

 road built from Berlin out into the district named had opened 

 up a rich spruce country, in which cutting had been going on 

 summer and winter for the last three years. Riding out to 

 the camps and starting in to look around, the heavy stand of 

 spruce was soon evident. As with all timber countries, 

 there was consideral)le variation in the stand — far less, how- 

 ever, than would likely have been the case in central or east- 

 ern Maine. Of mountain land there was enough certainly, — 

 to the east lay the range formed by Speckle mountain, 

 Mahoosuc and Goosey e, of which Speckle comes near to 

 being the second highest in the State — but these were well 

 timbered high up on their sides, while under the lumbering 



